CHRIST THE RESOURCE FOR GOD AND FOR MAN
[p. 112] CHRIST THE RESOURCE FOR GOD AND FOR MAN
Matthew 11: 20 - 30; Matthew 12: 1 - 50
We had before us last time how God’s people had ever proved His fidelity. Whatever man might be, and man had ever proved unfaithful, in every circumstance God shewed His unfailing faithfulness. This is presented in a remarkable way in the gospel of Matthew. In spite of the condition of the people, Christ was “Immanuel”, God with them. The prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in that way. That is what the presence of Jesus in the midst of Israel meant, and nothing short of that. You cannot understand the responsibility of the people and their guilt, unless you apprehend that the One among them was “Immanuel”. It was the last test applied to them. In connection with that, God took care to make good the import of another prophetic name in Isaiah, namely, “Shear-jashub”. He ordered that a remnant should return. But the presence of Immanuel tended in general to bring out the perverseness and lawlessness of the people. They said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours”, Mark 12: 7. Nothing ever brought out the character of the people like the presence of God among them. This rejection of God was bound to bring out other developments. This came before us last time. Christ was there in compassion for the leper, but at the same time recognising the faith of the gentile. If God came in compassion to a leprous Israel, it was impossible for Him to ignore the faith which was found in the gentile. They should come from the east and west and sit down in the kingdom of heaven, and the children of the kingdom would be cast out. That was the result of the last great test which God was pleased to apply to His people. But the fidelity of God was proved in that, in spite of the perverseness of the people, He had taken care to maintain a remnant.
We shall, I think, find the same principles in the [p. 113] passage I have read tonight, and in a more distinct way. There is more light here in regard to what was in the purpose of God. In the first instance the woes which the Lord pronounced shewed that everything was coming to a point. He pronounced woes on the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done. All had failed on that ground; the testimony of His mighty works had not produced repentance, but what comes out is, that God had a resource, and that the revelation of that resource furnished a ground for those who were in any way conscious of the condition of things in Israel. That is evident in the end of chapter 11. God brings out other things which were in His mind in contrast to the presentation of Christ to the responsibility of the people. These come out, and it is important to see how, in them, God proves His faithfulness in that He finds a standing-ground in them for any one who felt the condition of things amongst the people.
What follows upon that is, that God sets aside the public link between Himself and Israel; this comes out in the next chapter; and Christ becomes the hope of the gentiles. It is remarkable to see the Lord contemplating this. We are familiar now with the new thing which the Lord has brought in, consequent upon the lack of repentance on the part of Israel. That is the resource of God, christianity. I am speaking of christianity in the true power of it. The first to be brought into christianity was the remnant of Israel. They composed the church at first, and there was nothing else there. A little later on Cornelius was brought in. God provided a standing-ground for faith in that way. God’s covenant with Israel has been set aside; all testimony to them specially has been sealed up, and Christ has become the hope of the gentiles. That is what is true at the present time. I suppose we are all looking on to the time when Christ will take up again, in the mercy of God, His relation to Israel. Then God will shew judgment to the gentiles. In the meantime, “in him shall the gentiles trust”. That has come to pass. The apostle Paul quotes this in [p. 114] the latter part of the epistle to the Romans as a justification of his mission and preaching to the gentiles.
I will ask you to look now at the end of chapter 11 (verses 20 - 30). The point that comes out first in this chapter is that the Lord pronounces woes on those cities wherein most of His mighty works were done, and the result is that they are, so to say, lost in the judgment-day. There is a comparison between Sidon and Tyre and those cities. That was the effect of the presentation of Christ to the responsibility of man; everything was ended in the judgment-day. There was nothing but lawlessness in the heart of man in regard of God. That is true now. You have only to look round to see the disposition there is to set aside every bond of God. It is not only that men set aside that which we believe to be the revelation of God, but they reject the thought of revelation entirely. There is a word abroad now, men call themselves agnostics. An agnostic regards revelation as an impossibility. The result of it is, that man must be left in the dark completely with regard to God. I merely speak of this as evidence of that which marks the mind of man. His mind is essentially lawless. It refuses the law of God. And yet when you look around in the physical universe you see everything governed by law, and men are ready enough to form rules and laws for themselves. If every one were lawless in this world, society could not go on. As men have congregated they have been obliged to make a system of laws to render life endurable. But with regard of God, man’s mind is lawless. The effect in itself of the presentation of Christ’s mighty works was to bring woes upon these cities.
But what is the effect as regards Christ Himself? It says, Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and He thanked God. Christ is spoken of in Scripture as the wisdom of God. I understand by that that He is God’s resource. The occasion of Christ’s rejoicing was the consciousness of the resource which God had. God had hid these things from the wise and prudent, and had revealed them unto babes.
[p. 115] Suppose the revelation of God accommodated itself to the wise and prudent; suppose it needed a highly cultivated intellect to apprehend the things of God, what a poor look out there would be for the poor and ignorant! It seems to me, the revelation of God must suit the meanest and the poorest, because with Him there is no respect of persons. It is in a way a sort of accident that a man attains great culture — many people have not the opportunity — God could not take account of an accident in that way. It must be that any revelation of God, to be really a revelation, should be such as to suit itself to the poorest and meanest. That is exactly what God has done. He has “hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes”. God could not put any sanction upon the cultivation of man.
Well, the resource of God is found in the expression, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father”. The Lord brings to light what existed in the heart of the Father. There are resources in God, and those resources really depend upon the truth of the Godhead. We can understand these resources of God, because we know the truth of the Godhead. There was One in the unity of the Godhead who could come forth from God. It was in becoming a Man that He came forth from God, and it is to Him who came forth from God, and who was God, that all things could be delivered: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father”. The Father had counsels and plans and thoughts in His heart, and all was delivered to the Son in order that He might give effect to all.
I believe that this involved two things, namely, that Christ should be a centre and point of gathering for man, and that He should accomplish redemption, that is, that the rights of God in regard of man should be maintained and vindicated. Man was under certain responsibilities and liabilities — all that had to be maintained and vindicated in redemption; and the One in whom redemption was accomplished has become a centre and point of gathering on that ground for man. This was [p. 116] true in the Son. The ground is that He maintained the rights of God. He has accomplished righteousness. “By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life”, Romans 5: 18. That is as to the bearing of it. God had the right to redeem. Man was under liabilities, and God saw fit to exercise His right of redemption in the death of Christ. Righteousness is established, redemption accomplished, and Christ has become the centre and gathering-point for man. We get the thought of this in John 12: “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”.
The condition of man was brought out fully by the presence of Christ. The incarnation made things only darker as regards man; the mighty works made men more responsible; but there were resources in God. God has been presented in a man. Now He says, The Father has put all into My hands; I am going to accomplish everything. The terms were that He should taste death for everything, that the rights of redemption might be maintained in Him, and also that, on the ground of these rights, He might be a gathering-point for man.
Have you ever considered the point why Christ is the Sun of righteousness? The reason is plain: He is the righteous One who has accomplished righteousness. Redemption originated in grace, but the character of it is righteousness. Christ has maintained the rights of God, hence it is that He is the Sun of righteousness. He will arise with healing in His wings, but in the meantime He has become the gathering-point. That is implied, I think, in the expression here: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father”.
Then another thing comes out. He is the Revealer of the Father. He came down here to give effect to the Father’s will, and on this all the Father’s counsels turned. But then, in the fact of His coming to accomplish the Father’s counsels, the Father is revealed. It is a great point to apprehend what Christ is. We have come to a state of things pretty much analogous to that which existed in Israel.
The Lord makes an appeal: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (verse 28). The Lord would draw to Himself those oppressed under the condition of things which existed in the religious world. There were those in that day who were heavy laden, and the Lord appeals to them that they should detach themselves from the system under which they were heavy laden and come to Him and He would give them rest. The same thing is true in the present day. There are many christians connected with the great ecclesiastical system who groan and are heavy laden; they cannot be entirely unconscious of the state of things — infidelity all round, vital christianity swamped by the formalism around, the decrease of piety and the fear of God, everything going to the bad — and the so-called ministers of christianity accommodating themselves to the mind of man. What strikes one at the present day is the disposition of the ministers to find a footing on the ground of man’s mental activity. They are using the pulpits to undermine the faith of the saints. The true outlet is to detach yourself from what is worn out. What is the good of remaining in it and groaning? It is a poor thing to continue groaning, though many relieve their consciences by it. If you are in a state of things which keeps you groaning, it would be wise to consider whether you are right to stay in it. I do not think God means His people to be always dissatisfied and weary. The relief is in coming to Christ; there is nothing for you but Christ. “Come unto me”. People sometimes find it difficult to come to Christ. It seems so unsubstantial; and yet it is the only thing to do. Have done with what keeps you weary and heavy laden! Get to Christ! But take care that in seeking this you do not get to another system! There is the danger! People leave these great systems sometimes and attach themselves to some other kind of system. That is what you have to be careful of. It is a great thing really to come to Jesus. Then you will never go to another system. Such a thing as to come to Christ is possible — we are attached to Him — and Christ is [p. 118] enough for you.
I look upon myself as a unit. I do not say but what I am in company with other units, but I try to keep my mind clear from the thought of connection with any kind of system down here. Having come to Jesus, I seek to walk as a unit in His light.
Groaning is not rest. If I see a person groaning or depressed, I should say he has not come to Jesus. If he had, He would certainly have given him rest. It was the provision made in God’s goodness for a people heavy laden in a condition of things that was worn out. The point for faith was to detach itself from Israel and all connected with it, and to come to Jesus. He was the blessed centre of God’s universe and the gathering-point of all in whom God had wrought. I ask each one, Can you stand alone with Jesus? People want a system as a prop to lean upon, but by and by the prop fails them. Another class of people depends on meetings, and meetings are an artificial prop! Others depend upon the letter of Scripture. I believe that too may be an artificial prop. Everything will fail you but Jesus. He will never fail you if your soul has really come in contact with Him. He is the Father’s resource, who came to accomplish all the Father’s will. He has become the resource to us, and says, “Come unto me ... I will give you rest”. Rest is a great thing down here. A person burdened has not rest. A person depressed has not rest. A person excited has not rest, nor a person elated. I believe there is nothing more valuable here on earth than rest — nothing is more indispensable to people even in natural things as rest. Then the Lord adds, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. That is coming under the law of Christ. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ”. The Lord Jesus put Himself in the place of lowly service down here, and we have to take His yoke upon us in the service of love (verse 30). All this comes out from the simple statement, but is pregnant with the deepest meaning, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father”.
[p. 119] Christ was independent of man; He was the blessed centre and point of gathering, and the appeal is to come unto Him.
I have a strong conviction that Christ is making the same kind of appeal to people in the present day. We get a wonderful word in the address to the church of Laodicea: “I stand at the door, and knock”. It applies to the last phase in the church’s history. Think of Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David, the bright and morning Star, saying, “I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. It is a great thing for Christ to manifest Himself to you. Do you think it impossible? I believe in the reality of it; and of His coming to sup with you and you with Him.
It is a great thing to have your soul brought by the Spirit into contact with Jesus, so that you are free from the necessity of any human organisation. You are dependent then on nothing but Christ. God would not have you dependent on anything else. If you yourself know the support of Christ you will be a support to other people, but not otherwise.
I desire to add just a word on chapter 12: 14 - 21. The sabbath was the sign of the covenant between God and the people. The Lord allowed certain things to shew that the covenant was about to be broken. God put mercy above the sabbath. The Lord seals up the testimony among His disciples. He charged them that they should not make Him known. He does not discontinue His service, but He finishes the testimony. His voice was not to be heard in the street — the street of Israel — this was a solemn thing for Israel. But Christ could retire into the truth that He was God’s beloved Servant. The Son of the Father, but also God’s beloved Servant. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold”. God’s Spirit was upon Him. It is a wonderful change to think of Christ coming to shew judgment to the gentile. The Jew had not, but Christ will, Now comes the point which is peculiar to this moment. “In him shall the gentiles trust”. The Lord is coming into the world to establish judgment. Judgment is to return to righteousness. He is coming to swallow up death in victory. Satan’s power is to be broken. Christ will send forth judgment, not to destruction, but to victory, and in His name shall the gentiles trust. Christ is the Head of every man and the hope of the gentiles at this moment, He is both the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star. He says, “Let him that is athirst come”. That is what arises out of the rejection of the mighty works of Christ. There were resources with God. It was impossible for God to be baffled.
I wonder what Christ is to us at the present time. I am afraid of people being content in a rightly ordered system with well-ordered meetings, and living on that, with a decrease at the same time of personal piety. I plead for piety. I can say for myself, in measure, that my soul feels independent of everything save Christ. I do not know that I am dependent upon any order or organisation. The point is that Christ is enough. Have you come to Him? If you come to Him He will give you rest. Coming to Him is very real — He is there to come to, and if there be the movement in your soul to come to Him, He will make Himself very precious to you. Christ will be enough for you even if you should be bereft of everything down here.
Nothing will be able to stand its ground against the power of the enemy in the present day except Christ. Nothing will meet the character of things we have to meet except the reality of life in Christ.